Lee looked onto Ed as she entered his office. He was sat at his desk, head bowed. He was writing on some pieces of paper and his gaze was one of concentration. Looking to him, Lee kept her lips pursed. She coughed into her palm to grab his attention. He startled and peered over to her as she waved the folders she had in her hands.

"Reports are in," she commented.

"Thank you," Ed said and he turned to look to her, taking the papers from her hand as he stood up. He placed the folders down onto his desk. "Was there anything else that I could held you with?"

"No," Lee answered, shrugging her shoulders and turning to leave. But she stopped herself. She turned to look back to him, hands going to her hips. "I know that we are at work, but what is going on between you and Olivia? She hasn't been herself and neither have you. You've been snappy."

"We are going through a rough patch," was all that Ed offered Lee, knowing that he had to do something. He couldn't keep this up because he knew that Olivia knew too much. She knew far too much. "We'll work through it."

"She told us her suspicions," Lee said. "About you and…well…Kristen."

"She was wrong," Ed said firmly.

"Then what is it?" Lee wondered, arms stretched out. "Because there has to be a good reason why you didn't let her into your apartment that night."

"That's the issue," Ed said to Lee. "There was no good reason. I was sick and I didn't want her there, but I couldn't articulate that until it was too late. I had no idea what had happened and she only told me after I said I was sick…it is ridiculous and it escalated too quickly…it was stupid and now she is still not talking to me even though I have apologised so many times."

Lee sighed, seeming appeased with his blubbering. Ed almost rolled his eyes at how easy it was to reel her in. She moved to rest a hand on his shoulder. "She was really upset, Ed," she reminded him. "I don't think she cared about getting sick after what had happened."

"But I cared," Ed said to her. "I was really worried. I should have done better."

"Yeah, you should have," Lee said. "But we all make mistakes. Listen, just go and see her. She is working late tonight…go and surprise her and just tell her that you know you messed up. She might be angry, but she does miss you, Ed."

"I miss her too," Ed said, voice honest. "I'll go to her…thanks, Lee."

Lee squeezed his shoulder and walked away as his face fell. He would go to her and persuade her that they could recover from this.

…

It was the following night when Ed went to see Olivia. The previous night had proven to be eventful. Olivia was seated at her desk. It was gone six and everyone had gone home, even the janitor had told her that he was leaving. Her reminded her to take the side exit and make sure the door was firmly shut behind her. She had been marking books, not entirely wanting to go home just yet. She didn't want to be by herself. She had no idea that her brother had been kidnapped by Galavan following being let loose from his trial. She had no idea that he was now working with Penguin.

She was about to finish up working when she heard her door open. She frowned as she saw Ed walking in. He was holding a large bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. Oswald had called him and told him that Jim Gordon had been in touch with him, the two of them teaming up to take down Galavan together. It was perfect. Ed would claim that was why he had kept Penguin hidden.

"What are you doing here?" Olivia demanded from Ed, turning to look back down to her work.

"I came to apologise," Ed said, feeling exhausted from apologising numerous times, "again."

"You know when you say again it doesn't feel entirely sincere," Olivia commented.

Ed moved over to her desk, placing the wine and flowers down onto the front desk in the classroom. He perched down on it and looked around her classroom, ignoring her previous comment. She had walls decorated with posters and children's work hung up. She had a large bookshelf holding numerous textbooks and pens. It reminded him of his time at school.

"I don't want to argue about this," Ed urged from her, voice low and deep. "Olivia, the last thing I want is to argue about this, but your brother needs Penguin. I couldn't tell you this last night because it was a secret…but he needs him."

Things had worked out perfectly since Oswald had told him that. Olivia looked up from her work then, eyes wide and her face turning pale. She wondered what was going on as she pushed herself to her feet. "What?" she demanded from him, voice faltering. "Why does Jim need Penguin?"

"I wanted to tell you," Ed said to her, "but I couldn't. Your brother and Penguin intend to take Galavan down, Olivia. Galavan kidnapped your brother, but Penguin saved him. Penguin wants revenge on Galavan for killing his mother…the Mayor…he's deranged. He is claiming that he has to bring down Bruce Wayne and that his family were wrong by the Waynes in the past. He intends to change that…bring Gotham to its knees."

"What?" Olivia demanded. "Do you know how crazy this all sounds?"

"Pretty crazy," Ed confirmed to her, "but your brother is safe in my apartment with Penguin. The two of them are discussing the best way to bring Galavan down."

"Again what?" Olivia snapped at Ed. "Why did Jim not tell me this? You were looking after Penguin the other night when I was with Jim."

"And I admit that I only took Penguin because I felt sorry for him," Ed said to her. "He told me about Galavan and he said how him and Jim could work together. I didn't want to tell you that because I know what you are like. Besides, I never thought that Jim would be in this position."

"Jesus," Olivia complained, hand moving to her forehead. "So you took him in because you felt sorry for him?"

"Yes!" Ed exclaimed. "How many times do I need to tell you that?"

"Don't snap at me," Olivia responded, her own tone a snapping one as she moved around her desk and stood in front of him. "Why did you not tell me his plan the other night?"

"Because I didn't want to worry you," Ed said. "I know what you are like when it comes to Jim, Liv. You worry about him all of the time and I didn't exactly get chance to talk to you as much as I wanted to…and then last night…your brother needed rescuing and now your brother has a warrant out for him. He assaulted the Mayor and is on the run with Penguin."

"I need to see him," Olivia said and Ed shook his head as he went to stand in front of her, holding onto her upper arms. She peered up to him and he saw her look of worry. He almost wanted to smirk. This was turning out better than he had thought. "Ed, I need to see him."

"He wants you to stay away," Ed told her honestly. Jim had said that to Ed. "Just call him. Here," Ed said, pulling his own cell out of his pocket and beginning to dial Jim's number. He handed Olivia the phone and she pressed it to her ear as he kept a hand on her arm and she didn't shrug him off.

"Ed?" Jim's voice asked as he picked up.

"It's me," was all Olivia said to him. "Is it true? You're working with Penguin?"

"There is no other way," Jim said to her. "There is a warrant out for my arrest, but I have to stop him."

"But with Penguin?" Olivia demanded from him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed, Jim?"

"No, I have to do this," Jim said to her. "I can't let Galavan win this way or hurt Bruce. I can't let that happen."

"But why does it have to be you?" she demanded to know from her brother, voice haughty and Ed stepped closer to her, inhaling her familiar strawberry shampoo scent. "Why does it have to be you who is doing this?"

"Because there is no one else," Jim said back to her. "Listen, Liv, Ed explained everything to me about why he was acting weird that night. It is nothing to do with Kristen Kringle. He was hiding Penguin…helping him because Galavan killed his mother."

"I know," Olivia admitted, not telling her brother that she knew that Ed harboured Penguin before her brother.

"I've asked him to take you away for a couple of days until this is over. I don't want Galavan coming after you," Jim said to his sister. "I'm sorry that I am having to do this to you again…making you flee…but it is just until this is over. I'm having Lee sent away too somewhere safe."

"No," Olivia said firmly. "I am not going anywhere. I am not running away because of this."

"Liv, please," Jim sounded exasperated. "It is the weekend. Just do this for me."

"This is ridiculous," Olivia complained to her brother. "Why do you have to do this?"

"Liv," Jim sighed her name, "I've got to go, just stay with Ed."

Jim hung up before Olivia could continue arguing with him. She handed Ed his phone back and shook her head. Ed gulped, looking down to her and seeing the worry in her face. Lifting her gaze up to his, he curled his finger underneath her chin and forced her to look to him. "I am sorry," Ed said and he knew that her mind was not on his secret now. They were over that. She managed a slim smile and nodded.

"Okay," she said to him with a nod of her head. "You…things just got out of hand, but I wish that you told me the truth sooner. You promised always to tell me the truth."

"I'm sorry," Ed said again. "I didn't mean to upset you or hurt you."

"Okay," Olivia said, nodding her head. "So what do we do now, Ed?"

"I am taking you away from here for a few days until this is over," Ed said to her. "Your brother has all the help he needs and you are my only priority."

Olivia forced herself to smile at hearing that. He backed up, picking up the flowers and wine as Olivia's shoulders slumped and Ed saw her relax in his presence more than she had in a long time. He handed them to her and she took hold of them.

"An apology," Ed said, "I didn't know what else to do to make it up to you."

"You didn't have to buy me anything," she said to him, "but they're lovely. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Come on, we need to get going now."

….

Ed watched on as Olivia changed into one of his shirts after showering. Ed had caught Jim watching him as he packed some of her belongings into a bag from his apartment. He had almost seen the detective blush as Ed held onto a pair of Olivia's panties and her bra. He had stuffed them into a bag and grabbed her toothbrush along with her spare phone charger that she kept at his place. The shirt was on her mid thigh and Olivia padded out from the bathroom, hair hanging down her shoulders in waves.

"You okay?" Olivia asked from Ed.

The hotel room they were staying in was nice enough. It was on the third floor and Ed had picked up enough snacks to keep them sustained for the entire few days. He had also insisted on ordering room service. The bed was a king size and he had found himself resting on it while Olivia had been showering.

"I should be asking you that," Ed replied and she went to sit down next to him underneath the duvet. Ed's top button was undone and his tie hung loose down his chest. Olivia shrugged as she pulled the duvet up to her lap.

"I never know how I am," she admitted, "when Jim does something brash and impulsive it always scares me."

"I understand that," Ed said to her. "And I know that I will not be able to distract you until you know that Jim is safe and sound."

Looking over to him, Olivia's eyes widened. "How do you know me so well?" she wondered from him.

"Because I love you," was the simple answer that Ed gave her.

Moving to kiss him, Olivia let her lips press against his. Ed wrapped his arms around her waist, pushing her until she was resting underneath him. Moving her own arms around his neck, she tugged her lips back from his and looked him in the eye, forehead pressing to his for a moment.

"I love you too," she said to him, kissing him chastely.

"I promise I'll keep you safe," Ed said to her, voice a whisper. "I promise that I will always keep you safe."

"I know," she said and kissed him again.

…

A/N: Do let me know what you think!